


A Paradise in the Desert

by charbax



Category: ARK: Survival Evolved
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Non-binary Sasha, Sickfic, commission, pure fluff man, sasha (ARK), secondary: - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-25 11:24:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14976158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charbax/pseuds/charbax
Summary: Commission for @Speckeltail, who requested Raia/John: 'After the mantis attack, John is bedbound as he recovers. Raia tries to help him feel better about the situation, tells him how everyone is recovering, and tries to keep him occupied as John comes up with more and more convoluted and illogical reasons as to why he should really get out of bed. and do something.'





	A Paradise in the Desert

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tridraconeus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tridraconeus/gifts).



_"I can't recall the journey back to town, but I remember the caverns. The mantises didn't take too kindly to our intrusion. Took half my men with them before we blew them to hell. Well, most of them. One came at us while we were celebrating and I pushed Sasha out of the way like a damn fool. Nearly got myself skewered. Now Raia's got me all cooped up until I finish recovering. Threatened to tie me to the bed if I tried to leave. I'd probably drive myself nuts if she didn't keep me company so often. She was even here when I first woke up. I admit, I was glad to see the sight."_

 

* * *

 

John avoided the indoors if he could. He’s no fool, he knew the importance of shelter during bad weather, during attacks. But whenever he could, he’d prefer sleeping under the stars, a gun under his jacket, and the ground guarding his back.

Which is why, as soon as the pain-induced delirium faded, John was as restless as prey in a trap.

It didn’t help that Raia had taken the responsibilities for his injuries, as she usually did, as the de facto leader. It wasn’t anybody’s fault but his own – and the now-dead mantis – but it wouldn’t be Raia if she didn’t consider her fault for his decision to strike the mantis’ nest. Still, she took it upon herself to personally nurse him to health, something he appreciated, back when he first came to in that dark, closed room.

That did not mean he should be fooled by her kindness. The first time he tried to climb out of bed, she had been sitting on the opposite side of the room, reading. As soon as he threw back the covers, Raia was there in a flash.

 “It’s still too soon for you to be moving Captain.” She fretted, her hands smoothing the blankets back over his legs.

 He scowled. “I can move. I can walk. I can leave.”

 “You try, and I’ll tie you to the bed instead.”

 He knew it was supposed to come out intimidating, and not endearing, but the pout of her mouth made him huff and lean back into bed. Satisfied that he wasn’t fidgeting anymore, Raia returned to her chair and picked up her reading again.

 John’s eyes strayed to the door. His fingers prickled. If Raia would not let him leave the bed, then maybe she would let him have his weapon.

 

* * *

 

She did not let him has his weapon.

 “You are healing. You should not be aggravating you injuries.” She said sternly.

 “It’s just a gun.” He reasoned. “The worst I’d pull is my trigger finger.”

 “You should be concentrating on recovering, not protecting. Leave that to your guard.”

 John sullenly laid back again, but swore to get his weapon here, one way or another. Raia went back to changing his bandage.

 “...I have not heard from them since I woke up.” He said, for the lack of conversation.

 “They’ve been patrolling mostly, to deter future mantis attacks, and trying to keep up with your regime. Sasha has been making sure they stay on their toes.”

 “And Sasha...?”

 “They’re fine. Shaken, but well enough to lead your soldiers in your absence.”

 At least he won’t have to worry about them going soft. Or even worse, reverting back to how he found them – weak, inexperienced, and more likely to shoot off their own foot than at the enemy.

 Raia continued. “I’ll send for them, if you want. They’re a better report giver than I am. And you must be tired of my company by now.”

 Don’t get him wrong, he cared about Sasha and the strange community he found, and he was already restless in this room. But she was wrong in the latter part of her words about company.

 “I don’t mind it really.” _I don’t mind you,_ he thought. “There could be worse nurses. Like Sasha. Maybe they’ll decide to take over and get me to run drills from the bed. Imagine, me shouting my guards to pick up the pace from the doorway, shaking a stick like a _tsúyé_ , a grandfather.”

 Raia stiffled a laugh behind her hand, still holding one of the trailing bandages with the other. “Such little faith in your second in command. Perhaps I should call them in now, so you may properly tell them yourself.”

 “I thought you wanted to see me get better. Not dead.”

Raia’s smile faded, losing some of its mirth. John immediately dropped the grin from his face. “Hey. I was joking.” He reassured. “I know you wouldn’t. Wish that.”

She shook her head demurely, now gazing down to her hands in her lap, still gripping the soiled bandages. Her knuckles with slightly white. “It’s not that. After that attack, seeing you held up by Sasha, so still and limp...I was sure you had been taken by the gods. I prayed for hours, days at a time, for your health. I don’t even know why the knowledge burns. It’s not shameful. It’s not a secret. I…” She swallowed and stood. She didn’t look in his eyes. “I should dispose of these. Excuse me.”

She turned her heel, hurrying from the room. The ache in John’s side was nothing compared to the swirling sandstorm of thoughts left in her wake.

 

* * *

 

  _For days, I have prayed for both Hathor's compassion and Sekhmet's healing powers, and for days I have waited. I have faith that they heard me. When I first laid eyes on him, I thought for sure he was dead or dying, but the gods have not yet taken John Dahkeya away from me._  
  
My mind knows that I have other responsibilities to attend to, that I cannot afford to spend more time in this room. Yet I know that if I attempt to attend to my duties, my heart will interfere and I cannot neglect it. Not any longer.

 

* * *

 

“Why don’t you go eat with the others?” John suggested.

 Raia paused, her spoon hovering above her bowl. “I did. Earlier today, with the morning prayers.”

 “It’s still a short time. Do you have enough time for your duties?”

 “You shouldn’t concern yourself with that.”

 “Your concerns are mine too.”

 A smile played at her lips. “Sometimes I wonder if you worry more than I do.”

 John _was_ worried, about all manner of things. His village, his troops, the storehouses, his leader in handling all of this. His people had a saying, that the strength of the people was only as strong as the strength of the chief, and vice versa. He eyed her dark circles, but forced a smile for her sake. “Someone has to worry about you.”

 She stared at him, spooked like a horse (or a dino, considering where they were), then down at her broth – it was something she had been doing a lot lately. Another thing for John to keep in mind.

 It struck him, then, that he had not felt this worry for anyone else, maybe not even himself. Back when he was John Dahkeya the outlaw, the only concerns he had were who he was going to rob next and how, and squezing every bit of usefulness out of his fellow bandits, knowing full well they would do the same to him, if given the chance. In a way, he was grateful for Raia’s stubbornness, for it gave him time to sit and think (seeing as there wasn’t really much he could while being cooped up inside). About his lot in life, his past, and his future. A lot more beyond food stores and patrols.

Raia’s voice broke through his thoughts. “I find that even when I am among my people, my thoughts stray to your wellbeing. It would be a disservice to both to give my divided attention.” She was finally looking at him fully, eyes dark. It was the same look he glimpsed sometimes, during her prayers.

Yeah. A lot more beyond food stores and patrols.

 

* * *

 

“Please-”

 “No guns John.”

 

* * *

 

Sasha snorted in amusement. “She said no guns?” They said, their accented voice jovial. Even after all this time, it didn’t lose it’s origins – northern, Sasha mentioned once, where icy rain floated rather then poured.

 John grunted unhappily. Sasha threw back their head and laughed with no fear of being overheard from Raia. Even if she did while going about her daily duties, Sasha wouldn’t mind letting her into the joke. “Must be hard to be away from frontline. But being cared by beautiful Raia must be worth it.” Sasha elbowed John while wiggling their eyebrows. John’s frown deepened.

 “Its not like that.”

 “No? Could have sworn she spent more time here than outside nowadays.”

 “That doesn’t mean anything Sasha.”

 Sasha’s raised eyebrows said everything he didn’t. John rolled his eyes.

 “Don’t worry.” Sasha said with a wink. “It’s just between us.”

 John had no idea whether to be relieved or punch Sasha in the arm.

 

* * *

 

John was well enough to walk now, ambling from one end of the room to the other side underneath Raia’s careful eye. Aside from stinging from his injured side, he felt well enough to leave.

Didn’t mean he could though.

“Walking outside won’t hurt me Raia.” John reasoned.

“No it might not, but the sand might. There are channels in your body that run like a river. If they were to be blocked, then the downstream would suffer and die. It would be best to avoid going outside until the wound has healed over.”

“...alright?” Seeing as his own knowledge of medicine didn’t extend further than ‘put a rag on it and drink away the pain’, he simply accepted Raia’s words for face value. “Even just for a quick stretch?”

Raia shook her head firmly.

“My legs are wasting away here.”

 “Nothing’s stopping you from walking inside here.”

 So. Exercise wasn’t a thing he could appeal to her. Neither was his duties as captain, something he had already tried long ago (and damn Sasha for being such an efficient second in command). There‘s got to be something he hasn’t tried on Raia yet.

 

* * *

 

Out of all the excuses, this was turning out to be the most successful. Who knew he only had to appeal Raia’s cat side?

(It was only for a little while, but he’s taking every opportunity he could get.) 

“Missed me didn’t you?” He murmured to the animal. The sabretooth snorted in his face and nuzzled into his pockets. “Or maybe the treats.” He rectified affectionately. It was certainly better then when he had first tamed the big cat, after weeks and weeks of tracking it. It wasn’t like the mantises, instead preferring to leave people alone, but after hearing one of the travellers talk about taming – taming! - the wild animal as if it was a _horse_ , it planted a seed of an idea in John’s head. It would certainly help with guarding from other raiders, who dangerous creatures of their own. Besides, apparently in Raia’s culture, cats were revered as protectors, so there’s that.

 When John set out, he went alone with nothing but a coil of rope around his shoulder and one of the newer weapons in his holster. A tranquilliser, the traveller said. Can fell a beast to a deep sleep, undisturbed, for a day and a half.

 And it certainly worked, after John carefully shot in the flank. The horses back in his old life were harder to tame then this. But the tamer had warned the first part being the easiest – it was gaining the cat’s trust that would test his resolve.

They were right. It was deep in slumber as he rolled it onto the sled and dragged it back to Nostri and into the pen built specifically for it, but when it was awake enough to flex its claws, it used them to swipe at John. He chose to leave a piece of meat in its reach and retreated back. He repeated this for a few days, daring to stay longer and longer each time. Swiping turned to growling, then exhausted indifference, then to curiosity. He considered a victory when the cat finally let him scratch it behind the ears.

He was nearly frightened to death when Raia asked to join him in taming it. Not that he’s saying Raia wouldn’t be able to tame anyone she wanted (she got through to him after all), but the memory of razor sharp claws was still fresh, so he only let her under two conditions: 1) he was there and 2) she listened to him when he said to back away. She took to it as quickly as their shooting lessons. In fact, the cat most likely warmed up faster to her than to him. She had a cat’s touch, most likely.

She was also the one who kept up with their taming regime when he was confined to bed rest. The only other person he trusted near the big cat was Sasha, and it hissed at them when they tried to come closer (to which Sasha laughed and said his and Raia’s child didn’t seem to like them very much. John just looked at them with disappointment). When Raia appeared at the door of the pen, it padded to her for more begging.

“It did miss you.” She said as the cat nosed into her palm. She tickled it under the chin. “It would gaze up at me with wide, sad eyes, like it was waiting for someone else to arrive.”

 John huffed in amusement. “Doesn’t seem to be acting it though.” Still, he smiled as he watched rub its cheek against her thigh. Raia caught his eye and beamed back.

 He wasn’t just smiling at the cat though.

 

* * *

 

 _How long have I wanted this? I can't place it exactly, but it feels like I always have. I suppose that's how I know it's right._ _It's not just that Raia's beautiful. I've known beautiful women before, but I never got the same feeling when I looked at them. I never felt this at home around them, or anyone for that matter. What happened between us when I was stuck in that room, it wasn't a heat of the moment decision. At least I don't think. All I know is that now, I don't mind sleeping in the same bed every night. Not anymore._

 

* * *

 

His injury was healing nicely, if the closing edges were anything to judge. Raia agreed as she pulled away the bandages.

“If it keeps healing like this, all that will be left is a scar.” She said, a hint of satisfaction in her voice. Another to add to his collection, but the first he had earned for someone else. “Then you may return to your duties as captain.”

 “Finally.” John said, letting his spine relax, and he hunched. “As soon as I get out, I’m kissing the ground.”

 Raia made a face of digust. John laughed at her. Her expression smoothed out after his laughter died down. “And you may sleep underneath as many night skies as you please.”

John looked at her then, really looked. At her open face, the way the corners of her eyes crinkled, how age and her title lined her face, but rather than detracting from her beauty, only made his heart tighten. Truth was, he really did the miss the outside, but if Raia said he needed to stay another week inside, he wouldn’t have minded as much. As long as it was with her.

Raia had finished wrapping John’s side with a fresh bandage, but she was still staring at the spot, her fingers were resting lightly at the bottom of his ribcage. They were warm. Without thinking, the hand on that side rose to cover them.

“I don’t mind where I sleep. As long as it’s next to you.” John said. When she glanced up in surprise, he didn’t hesitate looking in her eyes. She didn’t glance away either as she said the next words,

“For how long?”

“I don’t know.” He answered honestly. He didn’t know if that was a yes on Raia’s side. “Do you. Also...?”

“Yes.” She answered firmly. “I’ve never been surer.”

It felt right, then, to raise a hand and hold her cheek. She pressed into it and there was another rush of warmth through his chest. And it felt right to lean closer to her, and closer, until their lips met together. Raia’s was soft and chapped – probably less chapped than his own – and then she opened them and oh. _Oh._

Time seemed to start again when they parted. “Ah.” John said intelligently.

“Ah.” Raia echoed.

 “Was that...good?”

 Raia hummed playfully. “I think I would need to check again. Several times, possibly.” She leaned in and they kissed again.

 Yes, John agreed, placing a hand on Raia’s cheek as they laid back, he was willing to check as many times as needed.

 

* * *

 

“But, your side-?”

 “I’m technically not leaving the bed.”

 

* * *

 

_Without question, it was Hathor's divine will that sent me here, not only so I could spread her joy and compassion, but so I could understand her love. I thought I knew it before. I loved my family, I loved my fellow priestesses, and I love all those under my care here in Nosti. Yet only when I finally surrendered myself to it, when I let it rush over my body and carry me like the current of a great river did I truly understand it. Only now can I claim to embody Hathor's teachings, thanks to John Dahkeya, this warrior from a distant time and place._

_  
_ _And now, together, we can turn this desert into a paradise._

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed my writing, visit me on my tumblr blog @charbax :D


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